1. Field of Invention
The invention relates to Piano teaching devices. More particularly the invention relates to piano teaching devices which utilize lights above the piano keyboard in conjunction with a liquid crystal display and book displaying music.
2. Prior Art
The following Patents are found in the prior art:
______________________________________ INVENTOR DATE ISSUED U.S. Pat. No. ______________________________________ United States Patents Grindinger, Gerard R. 03/04/69 3,430,530 Sanders, Sam 11/17/87 4,706,536 Kani, Hirofumi 05/14/85 4,516,465 Decker, Tom W. 12/09/69 3,482,480 Schmoyer, A. R. 04/16/68 3,377,716 Weitzner, D. M 04/23/68 3,379,087 ______________________________________
The prior art shows several devices utilizing lights and crystal displays for teaching piano. The majority of these are built into the keyboard and cannot be used with existing pianos. Those which do fit on top of a keyboard are standardized so as not to be adaptable to the wide range of keyboards or are mechanically complex to install.
The use of computer technology and control tapes with a sound or sight display accompanying lights on a keyboard has been shown in Decker. These lights have been shown accompanying organ footpedals as well as keyboards. Also, chords shown in conjunction with colored measures on a printed book utilizing two or more different colored lights on a keyboard have been shown in Grindinger, as have books and associated keyboards in Sanders. The use of liquid crystal or other displays showing music has been shown utilizing moving displays located above the keyboard of an existing piano in Kani with programmed music. The moving displays allow the user to move has hands with the music; however, the preferred embodiment would not easily allow the user to cross hands since the two displays, one for each hand, cannot pass.
The use of audio track with visual lights has also been disclosed in Schmoyer. Also shown in the prior art are lights associated with a metronome so as to allow the player to view the music played in sequence with the rhythm of the melody in Weitzner. This also discloses different colored keys for different octaves to be played. A display window is also disclosed which shows individual sequences of music corresponding to the lighted keys.
One of the major problems with prior art is the expense associated with these as well as not being attachable to existing equipment. Hence a new keyboard is necessary with each of the display means. Another problem is that different hands are not clearly indicated at all times. Another problems is the failure to carefully associate the visually displayed lights with sheet music which will ultimately be the sole guide to music.
Still another problem is the inability to utilize the invention with any of the multitude of existing piano keyboards of different sizes which include the Japanese, American and German styles of keyboards.
3. General Discussion of the Invention
The Piano Stick.TM. is designed as a teaching aid for existing pianos utilizing broadly defined concepts of lighted fingering displays. The Piano Stick.TM. allows a teacher or pupil to control with a pedal the movement through a song. The software provides two displays. One is a colored light display above the keys to be played. The other is an alpha numeric display in a LED window.
The software or process moving the student along includes an alpha numeric display of data on a display window provided with the Piano Stick.TM. which matches a corresponding alpha numeric display on a hard copy booklet accompanying the software data.
Because the Piano Stick.TM. fits on top of an existing piano, it is not necessary to purchase a separate piano to utilize the light technology. Also, it allows the user to select any piano of choice.
A novel method of articulation allows the Piano Stick.TM. to fit over any size piano keyboard. Since it fits over the keys of the piano, it is easy to view the keys to be struck.
Since it fits over the keyboard, it may be set in place and removed by a teacher utilizing the invention for different students.
The separate foot pedal control allows the teacher to control the speed of a pupil or allows the pupil to control his own speed.
From a standpoint of music education, the Piano Stick.TM. offers several advantages over conventional methods.
Hand "split", or the ability to indicate to the student what hand is to play what notes in an invaluable tool, particularly when teaching advanced techniques and arranging "tricks". Even with a previous manually lighted "keystrip" there was always the problem of indicating this split. The Piano Stick.TM. solves this problem by color-coding the right and left hands (green and red). This fundamental act greatly simplifies the teaching of rather complex techniques compared with older "keystrips" or live teaching. An alternate embodiment envisions the use of a third color light which would indicate the position of the thumb and small finger relative to the first key struck if either the thumb or small finger was not used.
The Manual Mode allows a player is stay on one action as long as desired. Coupled with the Finder Window this enables the player to scrutinize the printed page and build correlations between printed music and the physical feel and shape of the activating keyboard.
The ability of the Piano Stick.TM. to be "fast-forwarded" or "reversed" gives the player or student the opportunity to repeat passages over and over to gain proficiency.
The device enables a player to totally ignore written music or study theory and still play the piano. Simultaneously it also allows for in-depth study of the art form regardless of age or level and at a pace set only by the player.
The Piano Stick.TM. is totally portable and will fit almost any piano ever made since it is provided with a unique articulating frame which fits over the back portion of the piano keys.
The Automatic Mode allows the player to experience the composition in precise rhythm. The Tempo Control allows this player to fit the speed to individual taste or ability.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a piano overlay which may be placed on an existing piano and indicate keys to be played utilizing lighted displays.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a teaching tool for the piano which will fit most full size keyboards.
A further object of the invention is to provide a method or system for teaching piano comprising a lighted display, a finder window showing an alpha numeric display corresponding to an alpha numeric display on sheet music.
A further object of the invention is to provide a method for teaching the piano where the teacher or student may control the speed with which a lit display moves between actions in a section of music.
Other objects and advantages of the invention will become better understood hereinafter from a consideration of the specification with reference to the accompanying drawings forming part thereof, and in which like numerals correspond to parts throughout the several views of the invention.